Natural Iringa Basket - Black
Made in Tanzania
by women weavers using locally sourced grasses
$ 38.00 - $ 68.00
A natural fit for your home. These simple, yet durable, baskets are perfect for the decorator looking for form and function. Choose from six sizes and use as a sturdy planter, stylish trash bin, or hand-woven storage solution. Every purchase empowers artisans at Vikapu Bomba in Tanzania.
Hand-woven Fair Trade Milulu Grass Black Tote Bag | The Little Market
As with all handmade items, no two pieces are the same. Variations in size, color, and design will occur.
Details
- 8" Approximately: 8” diameter x 8” tall
- 9" Approximately: 9” diameter x 9” tall
- 10" Approximately: 10” diameter x 10” tall
- 11" Approximately: 11” diameter x 11” tall
- 12" Approximately: 12” diameter x 12” tall
- 13" Approximately: 13” diameter x 13” tall
- Materials: milulu grass
- Care instructions: Spot clean using minimal water. Dab (do not rub) using an undyed paper towel or cloth to prevent the colors from bleeding. Dry completely to avoid molding. To preserve the natural colors and stop fading, do not place in direct sunlight. Steam or wet basket in shallow water to mold to desired shape. Let dry.
- As with all handmade items, slight variations will occur
Vikapu Bomba
Vikapu Bomba is based out of Tanzania and works with marginalized female artisans in rural communities. The social enterprise strives to help artisans in the southern highlands of Tanzania to revive their artisanal traditions, such as traditional weaving, that have been passed down for several generations. Artisans who work with Vikapu Bomba organize into producer groups and make hand-woven products such as tote bags, Iringa baskets, and home accessories; a local reed-like grass called Milulu is used for the fair trade goods. The women artisans develop and learn skills such as accounting, quality control, and group management. Income generated from the sales of Vikapu Bomba products helps the local economy and provides female artisans with sustainable income to take care of their families.
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Technique
Iringa Basket are handwoven in Tanzania, East Africa. Woven from Milulu grass, a reed-like swamp grass, iringa baskets are an indispensable utility item of Tanzania’s Hehe people. The Iringa region has a long history of basket weaving, making them a part of the rich history of the Hehe people.
Each artisan is able to work from the comfort of their own home and community. The fair payment they receive will not be reduced by traveling expenses, childcare costs or haggled prices. Apart from providing a fair income, the artisan group that makes these baskets also provides business training, design advice, and skills workshops to its artisans.
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Tanzania
The diversity of Tanzania is reflected in the various forms of its culture and traditions. Over 120 ethnic groups call Tanzania home, and amongst them over 100 languages are spoken, with Swahili being the official language. Tanzania has a large Indian population comprising Hindus, Sunni Muslims, Sikhs, Parsis and Goans. The multi-culturalism of Tanzania is also evident in its mixed and varied art scene, its traditional ethnic music, colorful paintings and sculptures of indigenous hardwoods, specifically fetish style figurines and masks, and perhaps best reflected, its diverse cuisine.
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Fair Trade Products
Fair Trade is an approach to international trade centered around equitable partnerships, transparency and respect. It seeks to empower marginalized producers by providing them safe working conditions, fair pay, and a means to establish a sustainable business free from exploitation. As a member of the Fair Trade Federation, we are committed to the Fair Trade principles.
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